The Centrality of Trust in Relationships

UV 1566/10000 The Centrality of Trust in Relationship
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

Psalm 118 v 9

Relationships are most vital for human well being. Trust is the basis of relationship. Personal knowledge is the basis of trust. Trust involves a set of principles, obligations and promises. When we trust a person, it implies that we believe that person would act in a certain manner as expected. Abraham was one of the first to trust God completely and to obey Him and His commands, to believe in His promises and he is therefore, known as a prince among men, a prince of God. God first gave him peace and then brought him prosperity. A person who follows principles based on the Word is a prince. He is a prince who rules over himself, a prince against whom the principalities and powers of darkness have no claim or control. Our confidence is not in human or spiritual powers but in the Lord Himself. Such a faith in God is excellent and marks one out for excellence. The Lord will enlarge our territory and use us to expand His influence. David trusted the name of the Lord and that it was sufficient to give him victory over Goliath.


When we place our complete trust in imperfect people, our confidence is bound to be betrayed. The human heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. It will look for opportunities to benefit often at the expense of the one who trusts. But the Lord cannot lie. He is trustworthy, capable and willing to perform His promises in our lives provided we trust Him. With His help, in good times we will enjoy, in bad times we will endure. We will hone our strengths and overcome our weaknesses. Our confidence should not stem from our own abilities, resources or connections but our faith in the absolute goodness of the Lord. As Paul wrote, we “ can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us.” Jesus is the cornerstone or the main foundation on which the four corners or dimensions of our lives rest: the physical, the emotional, the intellectual and the spiritual. The physical is the first as first we need to exist before we can relate to God or man. The emotional is the second as a baby cries as soon as it is born. The intellectual is the third as the child begins to think and ask who made the world and what is the purpose of her existence. The questions we ask ourselves leads us to the spiritual. The spiritual dimension becomes the basis of our social connections. We ourselves become more trustworthy. Our hearts are cured of its inherent deceit and wickedness.


This uni-verse does not imply that we do not trust any human ruler or that we distrust our near and dear. It means that our personal relationship with the Lord should be the basis for our relationships and all aspects of our existence. The Word repeats at different places the idea that “blessed is the person who trusts and hopes in the Lord.” The rewards of such trust are to be enjoyed not just over our lifetime but eternally. When we trust in the Lord and His Word, we are enlarged, lifted up and enabled. Our mortal fears are replaced by hope that whatever be our current situation, things will start looking brighter and better over time. The uni-verse also helps us understand that human relationships are brittle and based on quid pro quo while our relationship with the Lord is enduring and everlasting. We do not become stale or familiar with the Lord.

Prateep V Philip